Mindfulness and Meditation

Focus and Flow

Focus and Flow is a Style of Meditation that incorporates 3 steps. The first step establishes a foundation of MINDFULNESS, the second step strengthens FOCUS, and the third step EXPANDS YOUR AWARENESS so that you can tap into your highest potential, higher intuition and wisdom. The benefits are numerous. Mindfulness increases presence of mind in the here and now, keeps you aware of each moment so that you can increase awareness, be clear, calm and anchored, and be fully engaged. The Focus technique trains your mind to overcome distractions, and helps you still “mind chatter” so that you can gain greater clarity. Expansion helps you tap into your higher potential, intuition, creativity and wisdom.

These 3 steps train the mind to focus at a deeper level so that you can experience rejuvenation, tranquility and serenity. You may sense a flow of creativity coming through from deep within and have an “epiphany.” Solutions to life’s challenges can suddenly appear!

The Benefits of Focus and Flow: Increases your ability to control emotions and negative thoughts, stimulates greater productivity, promotes the ability to focus more deeply so that you can achieve your goals. The experience of having a shift in your perspective that brings a happier and more optimistic outlook is a powerful benefit. Focus and Flow is excellent for stress reduction and gaining greater freedom from stress, while working towards self-mastery. As the drain of stress is reduced and mental and physical energy increases, you feel like you have recharged your battery and feel more empowered.

In teaching this style over the years, many students expressed they felt like “giving up” on meditation before they practiced “Focus and Flow.” They felt their mind wandered too much, and even though they wanted to succeed, they felt like they weren’t “getting it” or “getting into meditation.” Many expressed they felt they never had the chance to experience the core benefits of a meditation practice. I began teaching this easy style so that you can get into the “heart and soul” of meditation in a way that is in harmony with you. When this happens, you get momentum going, you want to continue, and you begin to reap all the benefits that sustain you.

This style is compatible for beginners to advanced. You can learn to meditate, or you can fine-tune an existing practice. Either way, Meditation is a great way to grow, expand and feel more confident. You can cope better with life’s challenges and be more at peace with your life.

There are more options with Focus and Flow…

The MP3 download with instructions on how to get the most out of your meditation practice is coming!!! Complete with an audio lesson, the Focus and Flow Guided Meditation with music has an anticipated arrival in the Stress Nation, Meditation Nation product store DECEMBER 2017. You can relax as the music and guided meditation take you into a deeper state. The Focus and Flow Guided Meditation general instructions and lesson will give you a complete support package so that you can practice meditation with ease!

There are 3 basic ways to practice Focus and Flow and you can alternate between these:

Option 1 – 30 minutes – Practice the full-length version that comes in the Guided Meditation MP3 download version for approximately 30 minutes. Once you learn the basic steps, you can meditate on your own using the music only version, included in the package.

Option 2 – 15 minutes – Meditate with the music only version and shorten each step to 5 minutes each for a total 15-minute meditation. Great for on the go, and effective!

Option 3 – 5 minutes – As a Centering technique, choose one step from the meditation to center yourself emotionally, create a calm foundation, and recharge mentally and physically. You can focus on the step for 5 minutes or less, and that becomes your “centering technique.” Centering works great to clear your mind of distractions, or before a perceived stressful event, when you feel anxious, fearful, worried, before a meeting, or before a performance to boost your energy and be at your best.

Sometimes we cannot avoid having a “bad day” as life does throw some curve balls at us. Remember:

“Happiness is a choice.” You make the choice to be happy. A centering technique will help you “own your inner space” and be more “resilient.” Do not let external events or social interactions throw you “off center.”

Children and Meditation

I have taught elementary school children as young as age 7, in the second grade on up in my community classes and as individual clients. YES, children can learn this method!

It has been particularly rewarding to teach children, teens and college age students. When they feel the spark of joy from discovering their higher intuition and intelligence at a young age, meditation becomes a source of strength and self-confidence and an “intervention of choice” as they grow and seek to overcome life’s challenges.

I love the journey of self-growth and reflection that this style brings. It has been richly rewarding to look deep within, and tap into wisdom and knowledge I didn’t know I had. Meditation has given me more passion for life, and for teaching!!

The Science of Meditation

If you are interested in learning more about the scientific explanations, research and studies of what positive changes take place in the brain from meditation such as memory, emotional regulation, executive function and other areas, I recommend the following resources for articles, research and expertise on Neuroplasticity and Psychoneuroimmunology.

Neuroplasticity: the ability of the brain to change, reorganize, restructure and develop in areas throughout one’s life. The brain actually improves and becomes better through meditation, something western medicine once thought impossible

Psychoneuroimmunology: How the brain, nervous system, and emotional states (stress) impact the immune system, chronic health and disease.

Sarah Lazar, Neuroscientist (Harvard) Studies changes in the brain from Yoga and Meditation with MRI resonance studies – showing increases in the brain for memory and other positive changes. http://scholar.harvard.edu/sara_lazar/home

Dan Harris, ABC Journalist and bestselling author of 10% Happier. Documents his work as a war correspondent and the overwhelming stress of reporting in the Middle East. As a career related depression became apparent, how meditation helped him become happier is an extraordinary true story.

Shannon Harvey, Journalist and Chronic Health Patient suffering from a chronic autoimmune disorder wrote the documentary film, The Connection about the Mind-Body Connection and the effect of stress on our health. https://theconnection.tv/the-film/

Gary Keller with Jay Papasan – Gary Keller is the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Keller-Williams Realty, The One Thing, The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, a NY Times and Wall Street Journal #1 Bestseller on how Focus on his ONE major priority led Keller to his dream of success.